Top 15 Fastest Bowlers in The World In 2026

Cricket is one of those unique games that provide excitement and drama from the very first ball. Cricket has produced many players with the ability to take wickets à la carte!  Some of the most exciting parts of cricket, and the reason we love the game so much, are bowlers who can turn a match around with the speed of their deliveries. Many bowlers over the years have left the cricket world in awe with their ability to bowl at speeds over 150 km/h regularly. Below are the 15 fastest bowlers in the history of cricket: 

Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) is at the top of the list; Shoaib Akhtar's record for the fastest delivery ever recorded in international cricket stands at 161.3 km/h. This delivery was bowled against England during the 2003 ICC World Cup. Shoaib Akhtar's explosive run-up and aggressive disposition made him one of the most dangerous fast bowlers of his era.

Brett Lee (Australia) follows closely behind with a top speed of 161.1 km/h. Brett Lee was not only fast but also a very consistent and dynamic athlete. In addition to having extraordinary speed, he combined that speed with good accuracy, which made him a vital arm for the Australian side in all formats for over a decade.

Shaun Tait (Australia) matched Brett Lee with a speed of 161.1 km/h. Shaun Tait has been known for his unusual throwing style and for allowing himself to bowl at extreme speed; when Shaun Tait was 100% fit, he was considered to be one of the most intimidating fast bowlers.

Jeff Thomson, a very well-known and legendary fast bowler for Australia from the 1970s, was widely regarded as one of the fastest bowlers during his playing days. His speed has been recorded at speeds up to and including 160.6 km/h, and many batters in that era said that he was the fastest bowler that they faced.

Today, the modern-day fast bowler that exemplifies excellence is Mitchell Starc, who is a left-handed pacer. He has consistently delivered balls at speeds of around 160.4 km/h, along with the capacity to deliver dangerous swings, dangerous yorkers, and the very best under pressure, particularly during World Cup competitions.

Andy Roberts is a legend from the West Indies and was one of the innovators to be able to bowl really fast, regularly reaching speeds close to 160 km/h. He was also instrumental in creating the intimidating and devastating tradition of fast bowling from the West Indies team.

Another fast bowler from the West Indies, Fidel Edwards, reached a maximum recorded speed of 157.7 km/h. His very unusual style of run-up and sling-arm bowling contributed to his sharp bounce and extreme speed.

The speed and aggression of Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson created fear in the hearts of batsmen, particularly during the 2013-14 Ashes series when he combined his fast delivery of 156.8 kilometers per hour (km/h) with his “short balls”.

Mohammad Sami from Pakistan bowled at the same speed of 156.4 km/h; however, he had a reputation for being inconsistent. Nevertheless, Sami’s quickness gave him a considerable advantage as a bowler.

Shane Bond from New Zealand also delivered at the same speed of 156.4 km/h, though his career was limited by injuries. When healthy, Bond was consistently rated as one of the best fast bowlers in world cricket.

In the early part of the 21st century, South African fast bowler Nantie Hayward had been clocked at 154.4 km/h, establishing him as one of the fastest bowlers of that decade.
Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie holds the record for bowling at 153.9 km/h. He is widely regarded as one of Australia's premier fast-bowling athletes, due to his endurance, exceptional accuracy and consistency over long matches.

Waqar Younis is regarded as one of the most dominant and accomplished fast bowlers of all time. Younis was a Pakistani bowler and was known for mixing high-speed deliveries (153 km/h) together with his ability to reverse swing the ball during delivery.

Jasprit Bumrah also recorded fast bowling speeds over 153 km/h. Bumrah is an Indian fast bowler who also uses his distinct bowling action to produce accurate yorkers and has developed an impressive level of reliability.

Finally, Allan Donald. He was a player from South Africa who earned the nickname "White Lightning" because he delivered consistently around 153 km/h with an impressive delivery style and an aggressive mentality in action that helped his team to victory during his time as an active professional player.